You Can Bet On Me
by Alyxx
Summary: While on a mission Rodney gets trapped on a planet crawling with Wraith everywhere but in a mysterious Ancient Outpost. Will he ever make it back to Atlantis, hell will he even survive the night? Inspired by the song Bet On It. Rated T just to be sure but is probably fine for all ages. Some Sheppard/Weir. Whole team will appear. Will probably get a bit AU with the timeline.
1. Chapter 1 - The Mission

CHAPTER 1 – The Mission

"I'm just saying why didn't the malp pick up the hundreds of Wraith on this planet?" Sheppard asks Rodney Irately.

"Look I don't know it must have been a malfunction or something, I'll run a diagnostic when we get back to Atlantis." Rodney yelled over the gunfire.

2 hours earlier…

The team were in the briefing room with Dr. Weir discussing their new mission, or what they hoped would be their new mission.

"According to the Ancient database there's an Ancient Outpost on P4X-997." Rodney told her.

"Yes and also a Wraith outpost, I'm not allowing a mission there Rodney, I won't take that risk." Elizabeth told him. They had been discussing this for well over ten minutes now and her patience with him was wearing thin.

"Elizabeth, it's a research outpost. The Ancients were conducting research on some kind of Wraith repellant." Rodney emphasized.

"Wraith repellant?" Weir asked skeptically.

"Yes and according to the database it worked, the Wraith couldn't enter the base, but for some reason they still abandoned it. Look the database is 10'000 years old, chances are the Wraith aren't even still there." McKay explained.

"If this Wraith repellant works do the potential benefits not outweigh the risks?" Teyla asks rhetorically.

"Fine, you have a go." Weir replies after several moments thought.

Present Time…

"That's the last time we listen to you Rodney, dial the damn gate!" Sheppard yells just before he gets hit by a stunner.

"Oh this is so not fair!" McKay grumbles as he dials the gate. "Everybody go through." He yells, Ronon drags Sheppard through the gate but Teyla hesitates before the Wraith start firing at them again. "Go I'll be right behind you." He says while firing at the Wraith, Teyla nods and runs through. Just before Rodney is about to follow behind her the DHD gets shot by one of the Wraiths weapons and the gate shuts down. "Oh crap!"

Rodney quickly ducks behind the DHD so as not to be shot.

"Ok what do I do?" Rodney asks himself as he hides. "The Ancient Outpost, the Wraith can't get in, I should be safe, then I'll come back when all the Wraith are gone." He says out loud, he fires a few shots at the Wraith before running in the direction of the outpost hoping he doesn't get caught before he gets there.

 ** _What do you guys think? Worth continuing? Or not? Please review! I will be updating this once a day except on weekends if I'm busy. I know this chapter was reeeaaally short but it's just because it's sort of an introduction chapter, all future chapters will be quite a bit longer, at the very least over a thousand words but I'm hoping about three thousand will be the average. Anyway I hope you enjoyed it_**

 ** _~ Alyxx_**


	2. Chapter 2 - The Outpost Part 1

Chapter 2 – The Outpost Part 1

As the team made it through the gate it quickly closed behind them.

"Medical team to the gate room," Elizabeth calls through her coms before turning to the team, "What happened?" Weir asks though she can clearly guess with some degree of certainty that Rodney was wrong and the Wraith are still there.

"The Wraith, they were there. We had no choice but to fall back to the gate, we never made it to the outpost. Rodney was right behind me." Teyla explains while looking at the gate as though waiting for it to reopen and McKay to step through.

"We have to go back for him." Ronon says gruffly.

"I can't allow that." Weir says regretfully just as the medical team arrive.

"He injected who knows how much Wraith enzyme just so that he could get here to help us, I'm not just gonna sit here while the Wraith feed on him." Ronon pushes.

"And I'm not going to send more people in to face that same fate! We'll figure something else out." Weir replies strongly.

"Then we must hurry." Teyla chimes in after Keller and her team take Sheppard away.

"Well there you have my agreement." Weir responds. "Tell me exactly what happened."

Meanwhile on P4X-997…

The Ancient outpost just came into view.

"Oh thank god!" Rodney whines as he runs towards it, the Wraith are still on his tail and he is out of bullets, how many of those bullets actually hit their mark is a different story entirely.

When he gets in he ducks behind a wall narrowly avoiding getting hit with a stunner. He peeks around the corner and sees that the Wraith haven't followed him in but are firing from the outside, 'Oh crap firing!' Rodney thinks ducking behind the wall again. He sits for a few moments catching his breath feeling somewhat relieved that he's now relatively safe.

"Okay, gates broken, but it's an ancient outpost, there's probably a ship here! Hopefully." He rambles to himself, then a stunner blast gets a little too close for comfort and he moves down the wall more. "Oh you iddiots, who doesn't build doors when stopping someone with guns from entering, the stupid Ancients were just asking to get shot. Probably in the face or something, okay that's off topic, alright I need to see what's in here, explore the outpost and figure a way out of here since the gate's broken and I have no equipment with me to help because stupid Sheppard told me to leave everything behind when the Wraith attacked! Okay off topic again, have to look through this place." He nervously whines to himself before pushing off the wall and heading further inside.

 _ **So I've changed my mind on chapter sizes and have decided to keep them all really short but have more of them, so sometimes you might get two a day instead of one. Maybe on holidays like Christmas and stuff I'll have an extra long chapter. Anyway I hope you all enjoyed it and please review!**_

 _ **~ Alyxx**_


	3. Chapter 3 - The Outpost Part 2

Chapter 3 – The Outpost Part 2

5 days after the mission…

"Okay so after five days I can say with absolute certainty that there is no ship here and I am never getting off this rock! Also no food, I'm going to die here! Okay just got to remember it could be worse, how could it be worse? Oh um there could be no water, yes nice little stream in the building, that has to be against health and safety regulations, oh right they're Ancients!" Rodney rants to himself getting louder as he does until yelling the last part to the empty room. He had explored the entire outpost now but there was nothing helpful, some pieces of old ships that had been destroyed by one thing or another, some of Lantian design and some of others. In any case there was no way he would ever be able to repair any one of them. Too many pieces.

"Okay I just have to think of the survival training Sheppard tried to teach me! Um, need a source of food. There have to be natives here right? Like native animals I can cook and stuff. Not that I know how but I'm me I can do anything," Rodney decides, "Right?"

Back On Atlantis…

Weir is sitting in her office going over the plan Sheppard and his team have come up with to rescue Rodney, they have been more desperate since the Daedalus got back yesterday and informed them they had been unable to beam Rodney up from the surface. They couldn't even locate him.

"Umm Excuse me Dr Weir?" A voice asks interrupting her thoughts, when Elizabeth looked up she immediately knew why they were here, because standing in the doorway to her office was botanist Katie Brown.

"Dr Brown, what can I do for you?" She asks if only to prolong the inevitable conversation.

"I was just wondering if there is any news on Rodney?" Katie asks tentatively.

"I'm afraid not, we're still working on it. We haven't given up on him Katie, and we won't!" Weir says firmly.

"Yes ma'am." Katie replies before she walks out passing Sheppard on the way.

"How's she holding up?" Sheppard asks Elizabeth when he reaches her office.

"Better than I thought she would, she's strong and she truly believes in Rodney." Weir explains, "Anyway was there something I can help you with John?" she asks after they stood awkwardly silent for a few moments.

"We may have an idea."

 _ **So I know this wasn't the best chapter but I changed my mind about something and really I just needed this chapter as a bit of a filler until the end there. Anyway as always I hope you all enjoyed it and please review!**_

 _ **~ Alyxx**_


	4. Chapter 4 - Rescue Attempt

Chapter 4 – Rescue Attempt

"Okay what's your idea?" Weir asks when she enters the briefing room with the team, Zelenka, Lorne and Col. Caldwell in it.

"Well, Ronon, Zelenka and Lorne have apparently been working on a solution for the last three days, when they had an idea they ran it by Caldwell."

"What's the idea?" She asks impatiently.

"We use the Daedalus." Ronon tells her.

"I thought the Daedalus couldn't locate him?" Weir asks confused.

"We can't that's where Zelenka and Lorne come into it." Caldwell says.

"Ok someone better starts filling in the gaps because at the moment you are just wasting my time." Weir says forcefully, she's worried about Rodney and if they have a viable option to rescue him she needed to know, now.

"Ma'am what we're suggesting is that Caldwell beam us down to the planet. My team and I take Zelenka to wherever he needs to shut off whatever is blocking the Daedalus from beaming up while Col. Sheppard and his team go and find McKay. Then all Caldwell has to do is beam us up and we're all home free." Lorne explains.

"So your idea is for me to send you all on a mission to the middle of a wraith outpost where you can't get out. What if Zelenka can't shut it off?" Weir asks.

"Then we'll meet up with the others and McKay can fix it," Zelenka says.

"And failing that we steal a Dart and fly right back to the Daedalus." Sheppard explains.

"Alright, go bring him home." Weir replies after thinking it over.

Several Hours Later

"Atlantis this is Col. Sheppard please respond." Sheppard requests over the radio when the Daedalus is once more over Lantea.

"Yes John I'm here." Weir says just stopping herself from crying out with relief, they made it back! "Was the mission successful?" She asks.

"I'm sorry Elisabeth, he was no where to be found. So either he's escaped and is running around the planet somehow masking his locater beacon or…" Sheppard begins but trails off.

"Or he's been fed upon." Weir finishes for him. "Ok, come in down, we'll debrief in fifteen minutes."

"Yes Ma'am, Sheppard out."

Fifteen Minutes Later

Never before has Elisabeth Weir seen a room practically screaming with hopelessness, because this was the last great idea, and now Rodney was really lost to them, possibly forever, just like Ford. But now wasn't the time to think about that, maybe if they worked out what went wrong then they could still make it work.

"Ok, what happened?" Weir asks as she sits down.

"The locater beacon would have been able to penetrate the barrier masking the Wraith life signs, hell Caldwell never lost sight of us. But we went in anyway, Zelenka couldn't find any device and we couldn't find any Rodney, we searched for nearly two hours with Wraith hot on our asses the whole time, but he wasn't there." Sheppard explains never once looking up, he spoke in a dejected monotone voice the entire time.

"I'm sorry to have to do this but I have to declare Rodney Missing and Presumed… Presumed Dead." Weir says, "We'll discuss your next mission in the morning, get some rest. Dismissed." Weir orders before leaving the table and once more heading to her office, she knows Sheppard will follow and he does.

"Elisabeth, we can't give up on him." Sheppard says angrily.

"Give me another option John!" Weir yells at him.

"We don't leave our people behind!" He yells back.

"Well at the moment we don't have a choice, tell me a way to get him back and I'll do it, but John at this point if he's getting back he'll have to work it out on his own, I won't risk more lives! We can't help him, I don't like this any more than you do, if you attempt to go after him without my authorization I will have you forcibly stopped am I clear?" She says quieter but no less forceful, and regretful.

"Yes Ma'am." Sheppard says, and just by the way he said it she knew he may never look at her the same way again.

 _ **I am soooo sorry this is nearly a week late! Things got crazy and I haven't been at school, which you'd think would give me more time to write but anyway, I'm really sorry but next chapter will be up later today! As always I hope you all enjoyed it and please review!**_

 _ **~ Alyxx**_


	5. Chapter 5 - Five Long Years Without Home

Chapter 5 – Those Five Long Years Without Home

"My name is Dr. Rodney McKay, I'm from Earth. Five years ago I was a scientist, granted not your average scientist, but just as ill equipped for this. I've been stranded on this planet, named Latus Ad Latus which translated from Ancient means side by side, for five years. Five long years without home. I've had a lot of time to find out what the point of this place was, and just as long to find my way out of here. I discovered a lot of broken ships that could never be repaired, until I realized that if I combine them I can make it, all sorts of schematics for ancient systems including warp drive and anything they didn't want the Wraith to know, because the Wraith can't get in here to see it, are in these systems.

I've had to survive five years on my own here, building my spaceship to get back to Atlantis. I had to learn to hunt for food and survive being hunted in return. But eventually I needed equipment that I didn't have, but the Wraith did. I had to raid a nearby outpost a fair few times, got caught a few times but I escaped, I am not the same man I was five years ago. And so here I am, out on my own in space. I'm recording this because my hyperdrive gave out and I have no way of getting it working again, so if anyone can hear me and is listening to this recording, please get it back to my people, they lived in Atlantis when I left, I'm hoping they are still there. Thank you.

Wait that's it I can repair it!" Rodney says happily, he shuts off the recording and gets to work on the hyperdrive, his ship looks like a small ball see-through at the front. He has a seat but apart from that not much, he's been in space for a week having to sleep on the chair, he hadn't brought food with him because he knew he could survive without it and didn't want the added weight after he had stocked up the water. Besides, he was no stranger to not eating for a few days, not anymore anyway. Rodney had lost a lot of weight and gained a lot of muscle, his hair had grown out to just below his jaw line but he kept it up in a bun, he had however been able to shave away his beard before he left having learnt to do it with the knife he made after losing his old one in a battle with his neighborhood Wraith from Latus Ad Latus.

Three Days Later

"Dr. Weir we've detected a small vessel on it's way to Atlantis, it'll be here in twenty minutes." Chuck informs her.

"Why didn't the sensors pick it up earlier?" Weir asks.

"I don't know ma'am." He replies, she nods at him so he gets back to work.

Fifteen Minutes Later

Sheppard and his team are in the control room waiting to hear about the ship while Caldwell is stationed behind the planet out of sensor range.

"Atlantis this is McKay please respond." McKay called once his ship got out of hyperspace and in orbit around Lantea.

"Rodney?" Weir asks incredulously, they had for so long thought him to be dead.

"Elisabeth, it's so good to hear your voice!" he cried.

"Likewise Rodney, How did you get here and where did you get the ship?" She asks hoping she isn't dreaming.

"That is a funny story that I would be happy to explain to you in great detail however I'm getting a leg cramp and there is no room in this ship to stretch it out!" He complains, he hadn't complained about anything unless he was antagonizing the Wraith for a long time.

"We'll meet you in the jumper bay." Weir tells him before she and the team run down to the jumpers bay to meet him, Caldwell beaming down there as well in case of a security threat.

When everyone was there they saw Rodney's ship coming down and landing before the side of it lifted off and Rodney stepped out, only he didn't look much like himself.

"Ok you guys are real right?" he asks tentatively, being on your own for five years does things to your mind, if it hadn't been for his run ins with the Wraith he would have lost his mind.

"Yeah Rodney we're real." Sheppard says before walking up to him and poking him, "You're real right?" he asks.

"Yeah!" Rodney replied before hugging Sheppard and Sheppard hugs him back. They release and Rodney hugs everyone in turn except Caldwell who shakes his hand. "I can't believe I made it!" he says his voice full of relief.

"Medical team to the jumper bay." Weir calls.

"You doing ok Rodney?" Sheppard asks when he notices Rodney looking a little dazed.

"Yeah I just, I never thought I'd see this place again." McKay confesses.

"It is good to see you Rodney." Teyla tells him.

"It's good to see you too, I missed you guys, all of you!" he says in earnest. The McKay they knew never would have opened up like that and everyone in the room could tell something was different, that plus the weight loss, muscles and hair.

"Well the hair is interesting." Caldwell says just as Keller and her team enter the room.

"Yeah I couldn't be bothered dealing with it I had other things on my mind." He explained.

"Oh my god Rodney?" Keller asks before running at him and jumping, he caught her easily and swung her around before putting her back down, they had been close friends. She and her team check him over and take blood samples after taking him back to the infirmary.

"Are you hungry do you need anything?" Weir asks.

"I am hungry but I haven't eaten in over a week so something small?" he asks she looks shocked that he hasn't eaten in that long but goes to get food. Sheppard walks in as she walks out.

"Doc." Sheppard says to her.

"Colonel." She replies before continuing on her way.

"Well that was weird!" Rodney says to Teyla who is sitting next to him.

"I'll explain it later just don't ask John." She requests, he nods but can't help looking at Sheppard curiously.

 _ **So Rodney's home but the story is not over yet! Now that he's off the planet Chapters may be more about this size but I can't guarantee it, anyway as always I hope you all enjoyed it and please review!**_

 _ **~ Alyxx**_


	6. Chapter 6 - Home Sweet Home

Chapter 6 – Home Sweet Home

A day later Rodney is released from the medical bay so he's going to find Katie who didn't visited him in the infirmary so he hasn't seen yet. He finds her in the Botany Lab.

"Hey Katie." He says tentatively.

"Hi Dr. McKay, uh Rodney." She responds.

"Katie what's going on?" He asks, he knows Katie and something is up.

"Rodney you were gone for five years! And every day it broke my heart more, it hurt so much the day I finally accepted you weren't coming back. I'm sorry Rodney, I just wanted you back so bad but I can't go through that again! And what's to stop it from happening a second maybe even third time!" Katie explains beginning to break down.

"So I'll be more careful besides I can look after myself now Katie, every day I was gone I was working to come back to you!" Rodney pleads with her.

"And I you, but I don't think I'd survive if it happened again, I can't do this job now that I fully grasp the risks, and I can't be with you." She tells him.

"Katie what are you saying?" he asks.

"I'm saying that we're done, I'm sorry but we are. And I'm saying that I'm handing in my resignation to Dr. Weir. I'm going back to earth and getting a job at a university or something." She replies.

"You don't want to do this Katie I know you don't!" he says attempting to reason with her.

"You're right I don't, but I have to. It's a matter of self-preservation Rodney, surely after five years on your own you understand that." She says before grabbing a piece of paper from her desk and walking out of the room.

10 minutes later

Rodney fell back on an old habit and went to the mess to get food and that's where Sheppard, Teyla and Ronon find him after they finish Sparring.

"Hey Rodney what's up?" Sheppard asks after quickly getting over the shock of seeing him there as if no time had gone by.

"Well everyone keeps looking at me like I shouldn't be here, Katie broke up with me and is leaving Atlantis, and everything is just weird, like nothing here has changed but I have. It's just not right! It's not how it used to be." Rodney replies, the three sit at the table determined to make their friend feel at home and like he belongs again.

"Ok, we'll talk about Katie in a second but first, Rodney you have changed! We can all see it and that's not necessarily a bad thing, people change with experience and I might not know what you experienced but based on the scars of being fed upon that Keller found I'd say it was bad. Everyone just needs some time to get used to you being back, we thought you were dead Rodney." Sheppard tells him.

"If it was anything like what I went through as a runner then being at Atlantis, even if you used to live here, may not feel right, or you might still feel like you need to not stay in one place to long. But it'll pass, trust me, you get over it." Ronon says making Teyla glare at him, "What?" he asks.

"What Ronon means is give it time." Teyla says to him.

"It's just, when I was there I was lucky to get food every day and sleep at night without being woken up by weapons fire, now it just feels greedy and wrong to have this when so many don't, and I feel constantly on edge around so many people, I don't know how to act or what to say anymore, I haven't spoken to another human in so long I don't know how. But it's like everyone is expecting either me to be completely different or exactly the same, I don't know how to be me." Rodney admits to them.

"Like I said, give it time." Ronon states again. The four of them sit in silence for a full minute before Teyla speaks again.

"So what happened with Dr. Brown?" Teyla asks cautiously unsure how to react.

"Just a simple matter of self-preservation." Rodney practically spits bitterly, he could understand where she was coming from and wasn't mad at her decision, but she was right, he knew a thing or two about self-preservation. But she didn't have a clue what it truly meant to survive!

"What?" Sheppard asks so Rodney elaborates by telling them all about his conversation with Katie Brown.

"She doesn't have any idea what self-preservation means, she couldn't ever understand." Ronon nearly growls angrily.

"Calm down, you know what she meant, either way she's made a huge mistake Rodney! She shouldn't have let you go." John says before seeing something behind the rest of them in the direction of the mess hall door. "Excuse me I've got somewhere else to be." He states before leaving the room rather quickly. The three turn around and see that Weir has just walked into the room.

"Okay what is up with those two?" Rodney asks once Sheppard was gone and while Elizabeth was grabbing food.

"Well it started shortly after you left, Elizabeth, as leader of this expedition, was forced to accept the fact we could not rescue you. We had already tried and failed and we had no more options. John could not accept it and he couldn't forgive Elizabeth for giving up. Make no mistake Rodney she wanted to get you back just as much but she couldn't risk it, their friendship has been going downhill ever since with very little hope for recovery. Yet their working relationship is seemingly as in tact as it has always been." Teyla explains. She finishes just as Weir begins heading over.

"Rodney, I'm sure you're aware but just in case I thought I should let you know that Dr. Brown handed in her resignation. I accepted it, she's heading back to earth in the morning." Weir informs him.

"Yeah." Rodney says sadly, everyone was suffering through an awkward silence before he spoke up again, "Elizabeth would you like to join us?" He asks.

"I'd love to." She replies before sitting down, "So enjoying being home Rodney?" Weir asks.

"Like you wouldn't believe." He replies with a small smile. A few hours later he heads back to his old quarters and sees that it's empty, but he doesn't really mind. He heard earlier that since he isn't allowed to leave the base for another week, Elizabeth has arranged for Jeanie to come and visit, so she's bringing all the stuff she got back with her. As he sits down on his bed he looks over the room and sees that despite everything else being packed away, his diploma's and other awards are still hanging on the wall. "Home sweet home." He says to himself with a small smile.

 _ **So longest chapter so far I think, or maybe second longest**_ __ _ **anyway I thought it'd be fun to bring Jeanie over and see her react to her dead brother being alive again. After that chapter the action really begins, trust me, I have a plan MWAHAHAHAHA! Anyway as always I hope you all enjoyed it and please review!**_

 _ **~ Alyxx**_


	7. Chapter 7 - Genie Jokes And Sparring Bet

Chapter 7 – Genie Jokes and Sparring Bets

Two days later on the morning of Jeannie's arrival, Rodney heads to the gym three hours before she's expected from Midway. He finds Sheppard, Ronon and Teyla in there getting ready to train.

"Hey guys, mind if I join you?" Rodney asks making the three look at him as though he had just levitated Carson into the air… again.

"If you're ready to have your ass handed to you on a nice silver platter?" Sheppard says making Ronon and Teyla look at him weirdly while McKay chuckles. "It's a saying back on earth, never mind. C'mon Rodney, you can spar with me!" he finishes.

"Alright, don't go easy on me!" McKay says though everyone including him knows that John will. They begin to fight and within a minute Rodney has him on the ground but Sheppard gets back up.

"What the hell was that?" Sheppard asks.

"I was on a planet populated largely by Wraith for five years, occasionally they had something I needed, I had to learn to fight." Rodney explains. The two begin fighting again this time though Sheppard doesn't hold back. They continue to fight until Weir comes looking for John.

"Okay take a break." She says as she walks in looking shocked to see Rodney's skill. "Colonel I need to speak with you." Elizabeth says. Sheppard heads out while the other three look on worriedly.

"So Rodney, ready for a real fight?" Ronon asks making Teyla laugh.

"Oh you're on." Rodney replies and all three laugh before the fight begins.

Meanwhile in the corridor

"What's up Doc?" Sheppard asks.

"We've got a new mission for you, but it's not urgent, I want you to wait a few more days until Rodney's cleared for active duty. It'll be a nice simple mission to ease him back into it." Weir explains.

"Well I don't know how much you just saw but that may not be necessary." John replies.

"We don't know how he'll react out in the field again. Statistically when this happens to army, air force, navy and marines personnel they tend to revert back to how they were out in the field." She explains, by this point they are standing on a balcony on the east pier.

"Alright, anything else?" he asks knowing there is something else.

"I owe you and Rodney an apology, you were right…" she begins but Sheppard cuts her off.

"Elizabeth don't, you made a decision whether or not it was the right one I don't know. But regretting it now won't do anything. Besides if we had gone looking for him, he may not have had a team to come home to." Sheppard tells her.

"I just hate to think that my decision has irreparably damaged our friendship." Elizabeth tells him.

"Well things have changed I'll give you that, but I don't know about irreparably. But we wouldn't be having this conversation if he didn't come back because you still would have believed you were right." He says angrily.

"I don't regret that decision Sheppard I still believe it was the right call and I stand by my orders it was too risky. What I regret is not believing that he could survive on his own, a regret I'm sure you feel as well." She yells.

"No, there is a reason neither one of us allowed anyone to take his awards off the walls, because somewhere deep down we both still had hope that he would see them again and he has. Neither of us have a damn thing to regret or feel guilty over there was no other way this could have played out and you know it!" John says.

"John for god's sake I'm not! I'm sorry that our getting along rides so highly on how Rodney is. There was a time when we would have backed each other even if we didn't agree! I'm trying to say that I miss you John, I'm so glad Rodney's home but it only makes me realize what else I lost all those years ago! He wouldn't want this, I'm sure he doesn't want this." Elizabeth explains. Both fall silent for a few moments before he speaks.

"I wish you'd said that five years ago Elizabeth I really do." He says beginning to walk out.

"John." She calls making him turn around.

"What?" he asks. She looks hesitant for a moment before closing the gap between them and kissing him. He's startled for a moment before he kisses her back placing one hand on her waist and the other in her hair. She deepens the kiss and wraps her arms around his neck. They stay like that until they need to come up for air. "Wow. That was unexpected." Sheppard says.

"Yeah, yes it was." Weir replies.

"Do you wanna grab some lunch sometime?" he asks her deciding to take a risk.

"Yeah, I'd like that." She says smiling, "Can we not tell, anyone about that?" Weir asks.

"Yeah, anyway I should be getting back before they go searching for me." He says before he begins to walk off again, just before he leaves the balcony he turns around again, "Elizabeth." He says.

"Yeah John?" she asks.

"I missed you too." He replies before heading back to the gym attempting to think of something other than her.

A few hours later

The team and Elizabeth are in the gate room waiting for Jeanie to come through the open wormhole from midway. Then she walks through.

"Welcome back Mrs Miller." Elizabeth greets.

"Thank you Dr. Weir." She replies smiling before looking around and seeing Rodney. "Oh my god Mer it's true." She almost whispers before running forward and leaping on him, he twirls her around much like he did for Jennifer a few days prior. "I wished so much that you would come back." She says happily, her voice full of relief.

"Did you fold your arms and wiggle your nose?" he asks jokingly as he puts her down.

"Really Meredith, you just came back from the dead and you're making Genie jokes?" she asks laughing.

"Oh come on you walked straight into that one, but in all seriousness I missed you Jeannie, I love you so much!" Rodney says hugging her again.

"I Missed and love you too Mer!" Jeannie replied.

"Everytime she calls him Meredith I get confused for like a fraction of a second before trying to stop myself from laughing at him." Sheppard says quietly to Elizabeth so that only she heard, she chuckles a little making the others look at her.

"Sorry, please continue." Weir says apologetically to them hearing Sheppard chuckle quietly at her so she elbows him in the stomach.

"Ow you have a pointy elbow Elizabeth has anyone ever told you that?" John asks.

"No one has ever given me a reason to elbow them before you John, actually that's a lie there was an unfortunate incident but anyway let's not get into that." She responds.

"Well now I'm curious." Sheppard says.

"Well unfortunately Juvie records are sealed so you'll just have to stay curious, it's good to see you again Mrs Miller." She says saying the first part so that only Sheppard would here before smiling at Jeannie and walking away.

"You too." Jeannie calls after her, meanwhile the others are just looking at Sheppard wondering what he did.

"You have a juvie record?" he yells after her making everyone look at him. "I will find out Elizabeth no matter what I have to do I will find out!" he promises before also walking out muttering something about Zelenka hacking systems.

"So when did they finally get together?" Jeannie asks.

"They couldn't stand each other this morning just like every day for the past five years." Ronon tells her.

"It's like no time has passed now, although there does seem to be a different element to their banter, though perhaps it is simply because we have not heard it for so long." Teyla says. "Anyway we will leave the two of you to catch up, Ronon." Teyla says before leaving the room Ronon close behind.

"So Jeannie, how's Madison and Kaleb, Maddie's eight nearly nine now right?" Rodney asks, Jeannie's shocked that he's taking such an interest in her life, but she could tell he had changed from the minute she stepped through the gate.

"Yeah her birthday's in a month, it'd be nice if you could make it to her party, I mean I understand if you can't, being in another galaxy and all." She tells him.

"I just came back from being stuck on a different planet for five years Jean, I think I'll be able to get time off to see my Niece on her birthday." He tells her.

"She missed you, you know, she said that every night she could hear you talking to her, that you were telling her you'd come home as soon as possible and were giving her messages for me." Jeannie tells him with a chuckle. But he stops dead in his tracks.

"Jeannie, I did."


	8. Chapter 8 - Strange Connections

Chapter 8 – Strange Connections

"Every night at her bed time, or it was day for me but I worked out when her bed time would be, I tried to imagine I was talking to her, telling her I'd see her as soon as I could and to tell her mum that I loved her, that when I got back I'd help her daddy make teriyaki tofu." Rodney says.

"With Lobster sauce?" Jeannie asks and Rodney nods. "Okay, one who would even eat that? And two, how did you actually speak to her from a different galaxy when you had no way of contacting even Atlantis?" she asks.

"Okay well one, it sounded like something he'd make okay, and two I have no idea! Did she say if she answered back and called me Uncle Roddy?" Rodney asks.

"Yeah, she used to try to sing you the lullaby I sing her so that you wouldn't be scared even though you were alone." Jeannie says crying thinking that maybe, just maybe, all this time her daughter wasn't imagining it.

"I couldn't always hear her properly but she did sing. I tried to get her to tell you my plan to get back." He says, by this point they were on their way to Zelenka's lab.

"The broken Spaceships? That was actually your plan?" Jeannie asks as they walk in.

"Hey it worked didn't it?" Rodney defends.

"What worked?" Zelenka asks before noticing Jeanie, "Jeannie you're here, hello." He says.

"Hey Radek." She replies.

"My idea to get off Latus Ad Latus worked." Rodney explains.

"Latus ad what?" Zelenka asks.

"Latus Ad Latus is the name of the planet I was stuck on it means…" he began saying until Jeannie interrupted.

"Side by side." She says.

"And when did you learn to speak Ancient?" Rodney asks because she was right.

"Madison told me." She replies.

"Madison your daughter?" Radek asks.

"Yes actually that's why we're here, Madi and I have been talking to each other for the last five years. I didn't realize I just thought I was losing it. But Madison, being a kid and all, believed it, she was right." Rodney tells him.

"How is that possible?" he asks.

"We don't know." Both siblings respond at the same time.

"Oh not this again haven't I asked you to stop doing that?" Rodney asks.

"Me? I told you to stop doing that! You always do that it's so annoying Meredith!" Jeannie replies and from there it derails into a sibling yelling match. Having seen it before, Radek goes to get food for the three of them realizing that if what they say is true it's gonna be a long night of Testing.

When Zelenka gets back to his lab they have stopped arguing and Rodney is hooked up to some machine that he doesn't recognize.

"What is that machine?" He asks.

"A piece of Ancient technology someone discovered while I was gone. With a bit of tweaking I have, ingeniously I might add, made it monitor my brainwaves. I know there is a machine in the infirmary that does that but this was here and then for now no one else has to know. Okay Jeannie you ready?" McKay asks.

"Yeah Mer, make contact!" Jean replied.

' _Madison, are you there?'_

' _Uncle Roddy, you're early.'_

' _That's because I'm back. And I'm going to try to see you real soon.'_

' _Mum went to see you, is she okay?'_

' _I'm with her now sweetheart, I have to go though, I'll talk to you later.'_

' _Okay, I love you Uncle Roddy tell mummy I love her.'_

' _I will, I love you too Madi.'_

"Okay, did you get anything?" Rodney asks his sister, then he took a better look around himself and realized he was no longer in Zelenka's lab, he was in the infirmary. Surrounded by his team, only it looked as though Sheppard and Jeannie had just been arguing. "What happened?" he asks confused.

"You collapsed, we think it's because you clearly haven't eaten much lately." Jeannie says before scratching her left temple, a signal to just go with it they came up with many many years ago.

"That explains why I'm so hungry!" Rodney says going with it.

"I will go get you some food then." Sheppard says getting up and heading to the door.

"Teyla maybe you should go with him, you know McKay, Sheppard will probably need help carrying enough food." Ronon says. Everyone laughs but Teyla does go with John.

"Ok, what really happened?" Ronon asks once they leave making Jeannie, Radek, Ronon and McKay the only ones there.

"What do you mean?" Zelenka asks attempting to play dumb. Ronon just kind of looks to him before turning back to McKay.

"I know better than anyone what you've been through. You don't get over it overnight. So let me ask you again, what really happened?" Ronon asks making the other two occupants of the room share a confused glance.

Several moments later Rodney replies, "We were running some tests on me, I've been communicating with my Niece for five years. We were trying to work out how, I don't know what happened next, I thought I just opened my eyes and was here." Rodney tells him never breaking eye contact. Ronon looks to all three of them.

"Well why wouldn't you just say that?" he asks.

"Because I just came back from five years of almost solitude, and what's worse is the Wraith are what kept me sane, they would have thought I was hallucinating or crazy. I'm telling you Ronon if I don't get off Atlantis soon I really will lose it. Everyone would think I'm crazy if they found out before we can prove it." Rodney explains.

"No we wouldn't Rodney, stranger things have happened." Sheppard says walking back into the room with Teyla, Ronon looks to Teyla who has the grace to look away.

"How much did you hear?" Rodney asks.

"Everything." Teyla replies.

"Well at least now we can get some real work done." Zelenka says to the room. Everyone looks at him like why the hell would you say that? "Sorry." He says.

"He's not wrong though." Jeannie tells them.

"First things first, what really happened in the lab?" Sheppard asks.

 _ **I'm so sorry this is a few days late! I'm not going to give you excuses but let's just say all is good now, anyway Rodney can talk to Madi from a different universe, thoughts? As always I hope you all enjoyed it and please review!**_

 _ **~ Alyxx**_


	9. Chapter 9 - It's Weird

Chapter 9 – It's Weird

"I don't know one minute I was talking to Madison and the next I was opening my eyes and I was here." Rodney tells the team.

"So you did make contact? How was she?" Jeannie asks missing her baby girl.

"She's good, told me to tell you she loves you." He replies.

"Ok, Radek, Jeannie, what happened on your end?" Sheppard asks.

"He closed his eyes and then he slumped into the chair unconscious, we didn't know what was happening or if that was meant to happen so we took him here." Zelenka explains.

"Perhaps that is necessary for the connection to occur. With no one else there to witness it you may never have noticed." Teyla hypothesizes.

"I guess I mean I was always sitting down when I did it so it's possible. Did you guys get anything on the readings before you moved me down here?" Rodney asks.

"No it was all normal." Jeannie replies.

"Alright, we've got a mission in five days and Jeannie is scheduled to leave tomorrow, so why don't you three geniuses try to work this out before then and I will go and talk to Elizabeth and explain to her why you passing out from not eating doesn't mean we can't go on the mission." Sheppard suggests.

"Good idea, meanwhile anyone have any idea when I can get out of here, honestly I'm fine I've been through much worse than passing out." McKay asks.

"I will ask Dr. Keller." Teyla promises before walking off to find her and Sheppard leaves to speak to Weir, Zelenka and Jeannie both leave to double check the scans leaving Ronon with Rodney.

"So anything interesting happen while I was gone?" Rodney asks surprising Ronon as he hadn't asked much about what happened in Atlantis while he was stranded.

"Besides Weir and Sheppard's fight not really. We had another scientist on the team for a bit but she was killed on her third mission, Sheppard refused any one else joining the team. That caused their second fight only this one was more public." Ronon explains while thinking about the very public screaming match the two had in the gate room promptly after their return from that particular mission.

"Things really went downhill for those two huh." Rodney surmises.

"Yeah but that's not the interesting part, the interesting part is when you think about what must have happened earlier today to leave them where they are now." Ronon says.

"You know what happened?" he asks Ronon curiously despite knowing it was none of his business.

"Nope, I figured you might, you are meant to be a genius or something right?" Ronon goodheartedly teases.

"Yes because five years marooned on a planet with the Wraith helped my already terrible understanding of human emotions." Rodney replies sarcastically.

Meanwhile Weir has been in her office reading through Rodney's very vague report of what happened on Latus Ad Latus and has found several things that don't quite add up leaving her to assume that Rodney is hiding something, though what and why she is has no clue.

"Elizabeth?" Sheppard asks as he walks into her office having knocked on the doorframe and gone unheard.

"Yes John?" Weir asks while realizing how easy it has been for the two of them to fall back to how they were five years ago, and yet still be so different. "How's Rodney?"

"Actually that's what I came to talk to you about. He's fine he just hasn't been eating enough, you know how he is and then he didn't eat on his way back here from that damn planet so he passed out. Keller says he's fine though." Sheppard explains lying through his teeth and hoping she doesn't notice.

"Should we perhaps postpone your mission, or have him sit this one out? I'm sure Major Lorne's team could handle it if you'd prefer." Elizabeth offers knowing he is lying but unsure about what.

"He's fine Doc, uhh Elizabeth. Keller isn't even keeping him in the medical bay." Sheppard replies hoping that Teyla succeeded in convincing Keller to release him.

"Look Sheppard I want what's best for Rodney too, and if he wants back out there then I want to help him do that. But you've got to level with me here, because lying to me about his health is not going to make any of this happen quicker." Weir says in a calm and level voice. Sheppard gives a very irritated look before taking a deep breath and sitting down across from her.

"Doc he's fine okay, I wouldn't let him out if I didn't think so." John states.

"You would if you thought it would help him. But unfortunately there are protocols and until I speak with Keller about this that mission is gonna get pushed back." Weir replies angrily.

"Oh for god's sake Weir when exactly did you stop trusting my judgement?" Sheppard asks raising his voice.

"When you started lying to me and showing me that it wasn't just you're judgement I couldn't trust but you as well." Elizabeth yelled at him as she stands up and puts her hands on the desk in front of her. "Now I know you Colonel and I know you wouldn't be keeping things from me without a good reason, but I won't risk Rodney and turn a blind eye when I know you aren't telling me the truth!" Weir says slightly quieter but still very fiercely.

"Dammit Weir he's a member of my team! I know how to look after my team, I know what's best for them and keeping Rodney cooped up in Atlantis is NOT going to help! Now you don't trust me fine, but you just remember that I'm the one that kept looking out for him when YOU GAVE UP!" Sheppard yells angrily at her.

"Get out." She says in a calm voice that was more deadly and cold then when she was yelling.

"Gladly." He responds before storming out.

 _ **Hey guys, I am sooooooo sorry this took soooo long. It was honestly me just being lazy and not writing, and a little of me not knowing how to write what I wanted. So all of you Sheppard/Weir shippers, I'm really sorry about this. I didn't mean to make them fight it just sorta happened and I mean after five years of them being at odds I doubted things would have just clicked back into place.**_

 _ **Anyway sorry again this took so long but hopefully next chapter will be updated tomorrow sometime and I'll try to make it extra long, I just really wanted to get this chapter out and this seemed like an okay place to end it.**_

 _ **As always I hope you all enjoyed this chapter and please review!**_

 _ **~ Alyxx**_


	10. Chapter 10 - Clearing The Air

Chapter 10 – Clearing The Air

After his fight with Weir, Sheppard goes straight to the firing range they set up, picks up a glock and emptied the clip into the target making each shot hit the dead centre.

"Sir? Is everything alright?" Major Lorne asks from behind him having been coming in to do basically exactly what he did but not out of anger.

"Yes major everything is fine." He responds shortly before walking out to find his team.

He finds them a while later seeing as they were all in Radek's lab which was the second to last place he checked. Really it shouldn't have been so surprising given the circumstances but he really wasn't expecting Ronon and Teyla to be in there too.

"Hello John." Teyla says as he walks in.

"Oh Sheppard hey, how'd it go with Weir?" Rodney asks making everyone stop what they were doing to look at him, the team really wanted to go on their mission!

"Not exactly as planned." Sheppard diplomatically replies.

"Yelling Match?" Ronon asks. Again everyone looks to Sheppard hoping he didn't do anything stupid.

"Small one." John responds honestly, he made a new rule over the course of five years that he wouldn't lie to his team. And he would tell the whole truth. "Nowhere near as bad as it could have been but I don't think she's gonna be any help unless she gets the full story on this one. But that's your call Rodney." He says knowing that no one is gonna tell anyone without Rodney's say so.

"Okay John now I need to know what happened, for when she speaks to me about it so I can do, what was it Ronon said, Damage Control?" Teyla requests, Ronon nods to her to tell her she got the name right. She nods back signaling she understood.

"Look it wasn't that bad okay, we were having an argument she said something that she can't ever take back, we fought, I crossed a line and she kicked me out of her office to which I happily left." Sheppard says vaguely.

Everyone kind of nods except Rodney who gets up, excuses himself and goes to find Weir who happens to be on the Balcony of the control room.

"Elizabeth, can we talk?" Rodney asks timidly, he really had no idea what he was going to say. He would have sucked at this before his extended stay on Latus Ad Latus but now?

"Of Course Rodney, how are you? Feeling better?" Weir asks.

"Um yeah, much, thanks. Listen, Sheppard told us, well okay he didn't tell us but he kind of overviewed enough that we know a bit about what just happened. But I haven't been here for five years so I'm kind of playing catch up. But what the hell is going on Elizabeth? You guys were at serious odds when I first got back, and then you seemed like you might be doing okay again and now this." McKay says completely lost and confused and blaming himself for this.

"We had an argument Rodney it's nothing new, not even to you." Weir replies. Rodney just kind of looked at her like 'Is that really what you're going with here?' "I told him I didn't trust him, or his judgement. Actually I kind of yelled it at him. The thing is though that I wanted to take it back and apologize but I realized it's true. I couldn't trust his judgement when it came to you for five years. Ronon got captured by the Wraith and he went on an unsanctioned rescue mission because he didn't want to lose him too. He was reckless and stupid and somewhere along the way it wasn't just the calls he was making that I'd lost faith in." She tells him.

"Elizabeth, why did you guys fight five years ago?" Rodney asks knowing there is more that they aren't saying.

"I thought you knew, I declared you missing and presumed dead, Sheppard couldn't deal with that." Elizabeth replies.

"Okay, yeah sure except that you did the same to Ford and while he didn't react well, it wasn't this." Rodney says.

Elizabeth was quiet for a moment after that looking out at the ocean. "Maybe that's why, he didn't want the same thing to happen to you. Except this time he thought that I had given up on you, he wouldn't understand that I didn't have a choice, wouldn't notice that I still sent the Daedalus to detour over that damn planet when it was coming to and fro. That even when I didn't Caldwell still went and scanned for you anyway. Because if anyone was gonna survive it was you. But he thought he was in it alone. And in the end it wasn't you I gave up on. It was him." She explains voice full of regret.

"I'm home now, does any of it even matter? I mean I get that five years don't just magically disappear because I made it back but are you guys really gonna continue fighting over who believes in me better when I'm right here! Ok yes he lied to you in your office but the only reason he ever has or ever would lie to you is to help his team and you know that. So you don't trust him fine, trust Ronon and Teyla and me. Because if something was going wrong we would have told you. Both of you need to get your heads out of your asses and stop arguing over who's the better friend, because while you guys were doing that. I'm not sure you noticed that I got back and it's over. Now is the part where things return to normal, Elizabeth and I really hope you guys catch up with the rest of us on that." Rodney says irately before leaving her alone to think. He then heads back to the lab.

"…No explanation as to why this is happening to them." He hears Zelenka finish a sentence.

"What'd I miss?" Rodney asks upon entering the room.

"Not much I was just telling everyone about what we've found out." Radek explains.

"You could have just said you have no idea." Ronon points out.

"Well it's not no idea, just not much of one yet." Zelenka says.

"But we're working on it." Jeannie adds.

"Where'd you run off to?" Sheppard asks Rodney who then looks guiltily down at his feet.

"So I went with the intention of just getting an answer about something and I think I've spent too long uhh talking, yeah let's go with that, talking to the Wraith because that's not quite what happened and I may have just told Elizabeth to get her head out of her ass." Rodney responds sheepishly, still not wanting to explain the extent of his time with the Wraith.

Several choruses of "Rodney!" and one of "Mer!" were then heard.

"I know I just started ranting and then that happened." McKay explains poorly.

"But he had a point." Elizabeth says from the door way having walked in without them noticing, "John may I speak with you?" Sheppard nods and walks out with her.

"Meredith what did you do?" Jeannie asks knowing her brothers tendency to mess things up worse before fixing them.

"I may have implied or outright said that this whole fight was basically them arguing over who was a better friend of mine. But I mean come on she said she didn't trust Sheppard and I honestly think she believes it! Look they're fighting because of me I couldn't just let that happen any longer." Rodney says in defense of himself.

"Well I hope that this does not backfire Rodney or things will only get worse." Teyla tells him, he nods solemnly in a show of understanding.

After walking out of the lab the two walk down the hall until they are a little way away from other people so as to speak privately.

"Is this the part where I'm supposed to apologize for what I said? Because I admit I went too far but that doesn't make ne wrong." John points out making Weir let out a longsuffering sigh.

"No I know, you believe what you said just as I believe what I said. Neither of us have said anything we don't mean John no matter how regretful that is. A long time ago I would have trusted you even if you hadn't told me everything. And just as long ago you wouldn't have hesitated in telling me everything. But before that when we met I hired you for a different reason. I knew you had it in you to be great, but not on Earth under their regulations. Things are run differently here they always have been and it's worked for us both. But as we pushed each other it became too much like Star gate Command and we aren't the only ones to be affected by that.

So if you want in this mission then I need the all clear from Keller and I need you to tell me truthfully that Rodney is ready for this. If I can get that then you can go ahead with your mission. So tell me John, is he really okay?" Elizabeth asks knowing that they can't move back but one of them has to be the one to push forwards and if he won't then she will.

"No." He responds.

 _ **Hey guys, so this got pretty intense and focused on Weir and Sheppard but don't worry I'm trying to move passed it as quickly as possible it's just that these events will be important later on. Anyway next chapter should wrap all this fighting up in a neat little bow… for now.**_

 _ **And then we can get on with the actual story! Which should also hopefully be next chapter.**_

 _ **As always I hope you guys enjoyed it and please review!**_ __

 _ **~ Alyxx**_


	11. Chapter 11 - A Changed Man

Chapter 11 – A Changed Man

"No." Sheppard responds, "He's not okay, I don't know what happened on that planet but he's not the same old Rodney McKay. But the only thing that's gonna help him is time to settle and to do that he needs life to go on as it always did. Including missions. He'll be fine on the mission, I'm sure of it." He tells Weir.

"Ok, well Keller already gave the go ahead for him so, I guess you have a mission in five days." Elizabeth replied.

Five days later Jeannie had gone home, the team had suffered… uh I mean sat… through their mission briefing and are currently getting 'suited up', so to speak, ready for their mission. Everyone was ready, Teyla and Sheppard had all the normal stuff and Ronon had his normal gun and sword, but Rodney had some new gear.

Over the course of five years have weapons became necessary for him on Latus Ad Latus. He very quickly ran out of ammunition for his 'Earth Weapons' and was forced to improvise. So on him now he had a dagger he made strapped to his leg and a gun he created using a mix of Lantean, Wraith and Human technology and weaponry. It looked butt ugly but sure was effective. It created a purple energy beam a bit like a laser but with a smaller power source that he had yet to reveal to anyone.

They entered the gate room as usual but when the wormhole opened Rodney instinctually flinched backwards before forcibly stilling himself. He had managed to hide his reaction to it when Jeannie had arrived and when she left but he was quite a bit closer to it this time, and a bit to the side so as not to be killed in the big "Kawoosh." As Colonel Carter calls it.

"You Alright McKay?" Sheppard asks him suddenly questioning whether or not he made the right call in bringing Rodney on a mission so soon.

"What? No, yeah I'm fine. I just, haven't been through that thing in a long time." He explained before nodding again to Sheppard. The action made John realize why Rodney kept his hair in its bun all the time, really though he needs to remind Rodney to get it cut when they get back. "Also the last time I did I got stranded for five years which didn't occur to me until now so you know, there's that." He says in a nervous rambling that reminded John so much of the old, pre stranded, McKay that it almost physically hurt to draw in his next breath, but he pushed through, for Rodney.

"You'll be fine, even if that's only because you're going through the gate first this time when we come back!" Sheppard jokes before walking through the event horizon. Everyone follows through, Ronon making sure that Rodney goes through before him. When on the other side though they are greeted by many Wraith who appear to have been expecting them.

"Oh, you've got to be kidding!" McKay yells exasperatedly before the Wraith start shooting their stunners, Teyla goes down first after getting hit twice, then Sheppard. It surprises Ronon a great deal that McKay went down after three shots with the stunner, it still took four to bring himself down though.

"Ow, What the hell is happening?!" Sheppard asks irately upon awakening, he then looks around and promptly remembers everything. They were now in your typical Wraith cell, he was disgruntled to know that he was the last to wake though. "Alright, what'd I miss?" And as if that was their cue, three Wraith walked around the corner and right to their cell. Everyone's reaction to the Wraith was different. And while Teyla looked almost disgusted and John himself felt his body go rigid, it was Ronon and Rodney's reactions that gave him pause. Ronon was practically snarling at them and that was usual, however he didn't attempt to put himself subtly between the Wraith and Rodney as he used to. And Rodney well, he didn't react with fear and the seemingly ever present wish to become one with the wall, no instead he seemed entirely calm with their presence. In fact John would go so far as to say it looked as though he was calmed by their presence, he looked more at ease now then he has since he arrived back on Atlantis after his extended stay on the planet. Although really, now that he thought about it, he never stopped dealing with Wraith like he did with humans, so it shouldn't be surprising that he acted like this was the norm for him, after all, it was.

"The queen demands an audience." The Wraith in charge says before leading them to another room.

Rodney looks around wondering why everything looks so familiar here. The Wraith they had encountered thus far didn't but the layout of the ship and everything was very familiar to him, despite what Sheppard has claimed on numerous occasions everything Wraith ship is different from the others. They just have the same, let's use the word wallpaper. It was when the Wraith put them all into some room and then left that Rodney realized why.

"Oh crap." He says out loud when it hits him, he looks again and yep, same table and chairs, probably the same corpse that was shoved off the chair as well, and doors in the same spot. "Oh this is really bad." He mutters.

"What is it Rodney?" Teyla asks.

"I think I know who we're dealing with." McKay replies, everyone looks confusedly at him until they hear a door open behind them and an ugly sounding female voice that seemed to echo and resonate forever speak.

"Oh I'm so happy I have made such a lasting impression on you Rodney." The Wraith Queen says as she walks up.

"Double crap." Rodney mutters, "Ahh Lucy, I'd say good to see you again but um, it's not." He tells the queen snarkily.

"She an old friend of yours or something Rodney?" Sheppard asks skeptically, he was not at all comfortable with the fact this queen appeared to be on a first name bases with his scientist.

"Or something, Luce you've never succeeded in killing nor feeding on me before, why presume now will be any different? Just save yourself some soldiers and let us go." He told the queen, 'Lucy.'

"But Rodney you're forgetting something. You don't have your precious outpost any longer, and this time it is not just you that you must save. No I will take my time in destroying you this time. It's about time I repaid the favor don't you agree?" Lucy stated with an evil sneer before having them taken back to their cell.

"Your queen is an evil bitch." Rodney growled to the soldiers, he then got hit in the face with a stunner hard enough to spend him sprawling on the ground. After the Wraith left them alone again Teyla helped him up.

"What the hell was that McKay?" Sheppard all but yelled at him.

"What Lucy?" Rodney asks, Sheppard nods to him, "She was the queen in charge of the outpost on Latus Ad Latus, she only left when they thought they might run in to an enemy queen while culling a world, otherwise she remained on the planet. So anytime I got captured she was the one to interrogate me. When I first got there she tried to goad me out of hiding, it didn't exactly go her way, she's had a personal vendetta against me ever since. Anyway Wraith don't seem to have names so I gave her one. She seemed to hate Lucy more than Carly so I went with that. Anyway we have had numerous encounters before and every one of them has ended bloody and painful for one or both of us. We got to know how each other thinks far too much and so it was very hard for either one of us to surprise the other. I managed to escape every time I got captured, well almost every time." Rodney explains.

"What happened when you didn't?" Sheppard asks as obviously he got away.

"It doesn't matter, point is she's a lethal bitch, but she's very protective of those soldiers under her rein. We can use that to our advantage hopefully and get out of here." He suggests. John ponders this for a few moments.

"Alright, I'll deal with you back on Atlantis, until then we need to get out. Let's make a plan." Sheppard decides and that is what they do.

1 hour later…

"Anybody got anything?" Sheppard asks, every plan they came up with in this situation required outside help. Rodney happened to know this hive ship like the back of his hand and he knew how the queen operated, even when she was trying to be unpredictable like she probably was now.

"Actually yes, but it could take a few hours to work if not more." Rodney replies.

"What is your plan Rodney?" Teyla asks cutting him off before he begins rambling.

 _ **Damnit! 20 minutes late! 20 minutes ago it was yesterday and now the chapter is late! Oh well, two chapters today then I guess.**_

 _ **So everything appears to be under control-ish, Rodney has a plan of some kind and Weir and Sheppard appear to have reached an understanding of some sort. Now they just need to escape the Wraith and return home.**_

 _ **What do you guys think of Lucy? To be honest the whole dynamic with them creeps me out. But Rodney was stuck on a planet living with outposts side by side for five years so you know.**_

 _ **Anyways I hope you all enjoyed this chapter and please review! Okay I'm gonna go sleep now so that hopefully I'll get next chapter out on time, and have it slightly better than this one!**_

 _ **~ Alyxx**_


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